The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review – A Swashbuckling Helping of Giggle-Provoking Fun
Could those early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series enduring for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such staying power is in part attributed to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature has no qualms about making Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Goofy Vibe
Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film quickly settles into a comfortably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a fact that thrills him as it finally allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the twisting narrative.
The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof
SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-turned components, forever showcasing satisfying, properly cartoonish visuals.
Whether its freewheeling silliness will linger when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Notable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty sure to resonate with the six-year-old audience: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid entry to the series – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those original fans will probably be snickering anew.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
